Challengers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person or group that competes against others in a contest or rivalry
2. An individual or team that seeks to confront or take on a champion or established leader
3. Someone who questions the validity or authority of another, prompting a challenge to their position

Etymology: The word "challengers" is simply the plural of "challenger," so it carries the same history. Its roots reach back to Late Latin "calumniare," meaning "to accuse falsely," which came from the Latin "calumnia," a word for trickery and false accusation. That sense of accusing or disputing a claim passed through Old French "chalenger" and "chalongier," which meant to dispute, object, or claim something. The sporting sense of a rival is a later shift. Middle English "chalengere" and "chalenger" once described a disputant, an objector, or someone who made a claim, and a person who made a false charge could be called one too. The modern idea of a contestant who takes on a champion grew out of the older notion of formally disputing someone's right or claim.

Synonyms: contenders, opponents, competitors

Antonyms: defenders, supporters